Lion King musical is all about the noble lion king Mufasa sacrifices his own life to save his headstrong young son Simba. Mufasa’s evil brother Scar commits fratricide and rules over a dying kingdom. Young love blossoms when Simba reencounters his boyhood friend Nala, then finds the brave purpose that would make his late father proud. The darker elements of The Lion King’s universally resonant story are the stuff of Greek tragedy, but the reliably moving musical glows with a hopeful ending and many moments of beauty, joy and the celebration of life.

For two of the cast members in the Lion King’s touring company, playing the Arsht Center means coming home. Syndee Winters, a Palmetto High graduate, is playing the adult Nala, a role she has coveted since she was a child.

Syndee Sinters plays Nala in The Lion King

Syndee Winters as Nala embraces Jelani Remy as Simba in The Lion King

Sharron Williams, a New World School of the Arts and Florida State University grad, plays multiple roles — a cheetah, a lioness, a wildebeest, a hyena and more. Both women trained as dancers and are thrilled to be performing in a show choreographed by Garth Fagan, a Tony-winning modern dance figure.

“When the show played South Florida before, I was in Miami but I couldn’t afford a ticket to see it,” says Winters, who plans to teach a class at her old high school while the show is at the Arsht. “When you come to see The Lion King, you suspend your disbelief. For the next two and a half hours, you belong to us. You could be the biggest, buffest guy, but when you hear Circle of Life, you’re affected. You get a lump in your throat. You get chills.”

Winters’ pal Williams, who will also teach a class while the show is in town, expects as many as 30 people in her extended family will see The Lion King during its Arsht run. For her, the show’s appeal is a combination of story, design, music and Fagan’s demanding choreography.

“When I first saw it, I laughed, I cried, I was touched in every way,” Williams says. “The work is challenging. The beat of the drums, the costumes, the music — they make you feel fierce. I get excited every time.”